Google Ads Auto-Migrates Broad-Match, ACA Campaigns to AI Max on September 1 — Video Resize Opt-Out Closes September 4

On September 1, Google will automatically convert every Search campaign still running Automatically Created Assets (ACA) or the campaign-level broad-match setting into AI Max. Three days later, on September 4, the opt-out window closes on generative AI resizing of Performance Max video assets. Both changes are default-on. Both trigger without advertiser action. That’s a 72-hour compression of two structural shifts in how paid acquisition works for anyone running Google Ads.

The rollout runs September 1–30 across eligible campaigns, per Search Engine Land, and Google’s April 15 post by Brandon Ervin, Director of Product Management for Google Ads, stated “We expect all upgrades for eligible campaigns to conclude by the end of September.” Creation of new broad-match and legacy ACA campaigns was already blocked across the Google Ads UI, Ads Editor, and API on August 3. Dynamic Search Ads got pulled from this batch on June 11 and now move separately in February 2027.

Google’s pitch, published alongside the AI Max open beta on May 6, 2025, was 14% more conversions at similar cost. The current claim is softer: 7% more conversions or conversion value at similar CPA/ROAS, measured on internal 2026 data excluding retail. Independent testing tells a different story. A PPC.land analysis of more than 250 retail campaigns on November 8, 2025 found AI Max conversions arriving at roughly 35% lower ROAS than traditional match types. Intelligency Group put AI Max on the Search Partner Network at 37% below Google Search proper. Ezra Sackett, Director of Paid Search at Monks, reported on August 17, 2025 that 99% of AI Max impressions across roughly 30,000 search terms produced zero conversions.

The mechanism behind the gap is the December 2025 clarification that AI Max matches on inferred intent, not literal query text. ACA campaigns will migrate with search term matching and text customization enabled by default; broad-match-setting campaigns migrate with matching alone. Text customization assets, once on, get refreshed at least every 48 hours.

For small advertisers, the practical work is narrow and dated: audit before September 1, decide whether to migrate deliberately or disable the legacy settings that trigger auto-upgrade, and review Performance Max video before September 4. There’s no rollback.

Sources

• https://searchengineland.com/google-to-auto-upgrade-some-search-campaigns-to-ai-max-484428
• https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-will-use-generative-ai-to-resize-performance-max-video-ads-485252
• https://searchengineland.com/google-sets-ai-max-migration-timeline-for-search-campaigns-485006
• https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/
• https://ppc.land/google-ads-broad-match-campaigns-face-ai-max-auto-upgrade-on-september-1/